The Women's Super League will be shown live on Sky Sports from September 2021; Sky Sports will show at least 35 games per season exclusively live in a three-year deal; the WSL has some of the best players and teams in women's football, making an exciting addition to the Sky Sports roster
Tuesday 23 March 2021 06:07, UK
Former England international Eniola Aluko says Sky Sports' new deal to broadcast the Women's Super League is a "huge step forward" for women's football.
Sky Sports has announced a three-year deal with the FA to become the primary broadcaster of the WSL from September 2021.
The deal will see Sky Sports show at least 35 games exclusively live per season and further strengthens the broadcaster's commitment to women's sport.
Aluko, who won 102 caps for her country and also played for Chelsea, Birmingham City and Juventus, is now Aston Villa Women's sporting director and believes the deal will enhance the women's game in England.
"It's a huge step for the women's game," she told Sky Sports News. "Congratulations to Sky, congratulations to the WSL and congratulations to the FA.
"I think it's a landmark deal which will just improve the visibility of the women's game even further. One upon a time women's football was shown once a year, and now Sky are announcing a minimum of 35 games in the season.
"For the first time clubs are getting some revenue distribution which for me as a sporting director is great news, because it means an economy is being created to help with operating costs and contracts all those things, so it is a massive deal and a huge step forward for women's football in this country."
Chelsea manager Emma Hayes says the Women's Super League's new broadcast deal with Sky Sports will provide "the elevation that the women's game needs".
Hayes, whose Chelsea side are top of the current WSL standings, says the deal is a watershed moment in the women's game and the "perfect marriage" between the league and a broadcasting partner committed to championing women's sport will elevate the division to a new level.
"This is a day that everyone has been looking forward to, the announcement of a really strong broadcast partner that will help give us the viewership and exposure that the women's game has earned," she told Sky Sports News.
"There's no better platform than to be with Sky. Sky will bring the elevation that the women's game needs. It's a partner that is taking women's sport very seriously and football tops that agenda. I hope we can bring new viewers to them with the quality we produce. It's a perfect marriage.
"I think the game has come far since 2012, both as a product on the pitch and the numbers that we are drawing to our games, through attendance and TV figures.
"The rise has been exponential and one that we can continue to see the upward trend. People are getting used to women's football on their screens, so as long as the quality of the product is high, we'll draw fans to the sport."
